When it rains, it pours for the LA Clippers.
The struggling Clippers lost again on Monday against the Philadelphia 76ers. They fell in a 110-108 nailbiter at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa. to go down to an uncharacteristic 4-10 on the season.
In the final seconds of the game, the Clippers had a chance to win it on a James Harden three-point attempt. Harden stepped back on 76ers defender Quentin Grimes but badly missed the shot. He then got another opportunity from the corner off the loose rebound but missed that attempt as well, sealing the Clippers’ fate.
JAMES HARDEN FOR THE WIN pic.twitter.com/StaJsfQwI4
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) November 18, 2025
Clippers fans and reporters were up in arms because it appeared that Grimes had fouled Harden on his first three-point attempt there. Grimes clearly made contact with Harden’s elbow as the former MVP was releasing the shot. Check out a couple of angles of the play.
Expect to see this non-call on the Last 2-Minute Report for Clippers-Sixers.
Quentin Grimes clearly fouls James Harden on his go-ahead 3-pointer and the officials swallow their whistles. pic.twitter.com/5G32T6jap3
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) November 18, 2025
On top of that, Grimes seemed to have encroached on Harden’s landing space during that very same sequence.
Yes James Harden was also fouled on his landing. No whistle https://t.co/Yco2s1Yvwk pic.twitter.com/uEaO8VSeE1
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) November 18, 2025
Speaking to a pool reporter after the game, referee crew chief Curtis Blair would only say that the officials had deemed “during live play” that there was no foul.
“During live play, it was deemed that Grimes legally contested Harden’s three-point shot.”
From the NBA’s Pool Report after the Clippers lost to Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/CNldZWHoH0
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) November 18, 2025
This is already shaping up to be the season from hell for the Clippers, who are currently dealing with extended absences from Kawhi Leonard (foot/ankle), Bradley Beal (hip), and Derrick Jones Jr. (knee) … in addition to the ongoing league investigation into their team. The Clippers have also had themselves to blame for a number of bad blown leads in the second half of games, and they got no help from the officiating crew on Monday night either.